Head Over Heels

3.5 stars. Head Over Heels was a good, quick read. I have been a gymnastic fan ever since Nadia Comaneci's perfect 10 scores in the 1976 Olympics, and I followed with dismay the sexual assault allegations against gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar. So I've seen a lot of highs and low but remain fascinated with the sport. The 2020 summer Olympics have been postponed because of the pandemic, so until 2021, this book will have to suffice.

The novel is strongest when it sticks to Avery's struggle to find meaning in her life years after a freak injury ended her Olympic dreams. Her relationship with rising star Hallie and her strained yet unbreakable friendship with her former teammate Jasmine are heartfelt and full of Girl Power. Avery starts out broken and aimless, and ends up with purpose and a new passion.

However, the love story between Avery and fellow coach Ryan fell flat to me. It felt very pro-forma, ticking the boxes of approach/avoid/approach and then predictable breakup/grovel/reconciliation. Ryan didn't have much depth beyond being cute and hard-working. I was much more engaged in whether or not Hallie made it to the Olympics than I was in whether or not Avery and Ryan would stay together.

Along the way Orenstein references verbally abusive coaches (shades of Bela Karolyi), a physician sexual assault case similar to Nassar, and lots and lots of gymnastics moves that show she either did her research or has a background in the sport. She provides a balanced (no pun intended) view of the risks these women take when they sacrifice a regular life for a few minutes of fame, and lets the reader decide if it's worth the effort.

Orenstein's writing style is serviceable but not memorable. I don't know if I would read another book by her unless I was particularly interested n the subject as I was with this one. So I'd give Head Over Heels a qualified recommendation for readers like me who can still name all of the girls who captured our hearts as the Magnificent Seven, the Fierce Five and the Final Five.

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.